The European Commission is proposing to pause parts of its landmark artificial intelligence (AI) legislation amid intense pressure from big tech companies and the U.S. government, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
The move follows months of urging by tech giants like Meta and Alphabet, and pressure from the Trump administration, which has warned against measures that could provoke trade tensions.
The EU has been "engaging" with the Trump administration on adjustments to the AI act and other digital regulations as part of a wider simplification process, which is due to be adopted on November 19, a senior EU official told the FT.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The EU did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
In July, a spokesperson for the European Commission dismissed calls from some companies and countries for a pause, saying the AI rules would be rolled out according to the legal timeline in the legislation.
Talks were continuing within the commission regarding potential delays to "the implementation of targeted parts of the AI act," a spokesperson for the EU told the FT. They added that while various options were being considered, the EU remained "fully behind the AI act and its objectives."
The legislation came into force in August 2024 but many of the provisions are staggered to come into effect in coming years.
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